The family and friends of Umo Cani, a 36-year-old pregnant woman from Guinea, who died last Friday at the Amadora-Sintra Hospital along with her 38-weeks gestation baby, are calling for the resignation of Health Minister Ana Paula Martins and accuse the Prime Minister of failing to fulfill his role.
In an interview with SIC Notícias, when asked about the resignation of Paloma Mendes, the president of the Board of Directors of ULS Amadora-Sintra, a friend of the deceased woman highlighted that “the blame does not lie solely with the president of the Board of Directors of Amadora-Sintra.”
“We have a minister who constantly downplays the cases that occur within the NHS, especially with pregnant women. It can’t be said she goes to Parliament uninformed about this patient’s situation. If we know nothing, we can’t make such statements, especially offensive ones,” she stated.
“Suggesting that Umo came here just to have children? When all the documents were exposed, consultations and exams were already in place. The minister didn’t even have the courtesy to apologize, to admit mistakes, or to express condolences. We have an NHS that doesn’t function, the health center is part of ULS—how is there no connection with the hospital? Imagine someone having a disease, and that information not reaching the hospital? This is a problem she [the minister] must resolve,” she added.
For Paloma, “we can’t keep launching inquiries. How many women, how many situations need to arise for people to realize it’s enough? That this can’t continue with a minister who always devalues cases. Recently, she stated that 192 pregnant women who delivered outside the hospital were immigrants arriving late into pregnancy.” “So let her prove it,” she demanded, reiterating that “enough is enough.”
As Umo’s friend recalls, the hospital only concluded that the Guinean had lived in Portugal for a year, had residence, and was being followed at the health center “when these facts began to be exposed.”
“We have a problem that the minister and the prime minister must solve because nobody can bring back Umo’s or the baby’s life, no inquiry, nothing. What needs to be done is to prevent another pregnant woman from facing the same fate,” she stressed, also saying that “it is the prime minister’s place to understand why he continues to accept and allow this to happen.”
When asked if an apology would change anything, Paloma said, “it’s useless” because they feel it “wouldn’t be sincere,” and when “it’s not sincere, it’s worthless.” However, in her opinion, “the first thing the minister should have done today was apologize, admit she was wrong.”
According to Paloma, Umo’s family is “being attacked on social media,” accused of “health tourism, not speaking Portuguese.” She noted, “Umo’s sister-in-law has been here for over 20 years, she’s Portuguese.”
“The only request I make directly to the Prime Minister, who has been observing these chaotic cases in obstetrics for weeks, is whether he thinks it’s normal for this lady to continue overseeing this area. Does he believe it’s normal for children to be born in the street, for emergency services to arrive late, for babies to be born at home? It’s no longer about the minister. My issue is with the Prime Minister who has been asked to replace this minister and is doing nothing. I’m not saying she’s incompetent. Perhaps she’s unable to resolve the problems. But in any job, when we can’t perform our duties adequately, we’re quickly replaced. This minister has been in office for a year and a half, what has improved?” she pondered aloud.
The case is currently under investigation by various entities, including the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP).
